Which structure forms a thick internal wall around DNA to allow dormancy during harsh environmental conditions?

Which structure forms a thick internal wall around DNA to allow dormancy during harsh environmental conditions?

• A. Capsule
• B. Pili
• C. Endospore
• D. Plasmids

Answer: (C)

Endospores form when certain bacteria encounter harsh conditions, and they are built to keep the DNA safe while the cell essentially goes dormant. The DNA-containing core becomes encased in a thick, multi-layer protective shell—often described as a cortex and a spore coat—that makes the interior extremely dry and resistant. This dry, protected core can withstand heat, desiccation, chemicals, and radiation, allowing the organism to survive until conditions improve and it can germinate back into a normal, active cell. The other structures aren’t designed for this kind of long-term dormancy: a capsule is a polysaccharide coating that helps with attachment and immune evasion, pili are used for attachment and gene transfer, and plasmids are extra pieces of DNA outside the chromosome.

Endospores form when certain bacteria encounter harsh conditions, and they are built to keep the DNA safe while the cell essentially goes dormant. The DNA-containing core becomes encased in a thick, multi-layer protective shell—often described as a cortex and a spore coat—that makes the interior extremely dry and resistant. This dry, protected core can withstand heat, desiccation, chemicals, and radiation, allowing the organism to survive until conditions improve and it can germinate back into a normal, active cell. The other structures aren’t designed for this kind of long-term dormancy: a capsule is a polysaccharide coating that helps with attachment and immune evasion, pili are used for attachment and gene transfer, and plasmids are extra pieces of DNA outside the chromosome.